Sim lab preps Baptist Health Louisville EMS for real scenarios

During transport, a patient begins to show signs of respiratory distress. Their breathing has become more labored; their oxygen levels have dropped. The situation requires quick, coordinated action. Inside the ambulance, paramedics must be decisive as the patient’s condition worsens. 

These are the moments EMS providers are trained to face. Except in this instance, the ambulance isn’t racing down the road. It's parked outside Baptist Health Louisville, the patient represented by a high-fidelity manikin. 

These trainings through the donor-funded simulation lab are carried out with striking realism as a means of preparing providers for the real thing. On a chilly morning in March, six Baptist Health paramedics showed up ready to respond and restore their manikin patient, with the knowledge that while scenarios like these are thankfully not common, they could be life-threatening. 

The experience began with a hands-on learning session focused on ventilator management and advanced airway techniques. Then came the full scenario: a patient in respiratory distress during transport from a care facility to the hospital. The team was responsible for carefully transferring the manikin onto a gurney, positioning it correctly, and loading it into the ambulance, mirroring the exact steps required in a real emergency. 

“The patient’s condition rapidly deteriorated in the ambulance,” explained Amanda Lynch, MSN, simulation coordinator at Baptist Health Louisville. “The case progressed to cardiac arrest, allowing the participants to practice resuscitation in a safe environment.” 

What elevates this training is the level of realism. The manikin used in the simulation can mimic the complexities of a real patient. Providers can monitor subtle changes and respond in real time, just as they would in the field. 

“It’s definitely unique to be able to look at the manikin and see everything that’s going on,” said Cody Gover, Day Shift Captain with Baptist Health EMS. “To be able to physically put the stethoscope anywhere on the chest and be able to hear, or be able to feel for a pulse, the benefit is immense.” 

Time is everything for EMS providers. Training through repetition and this kind of immersion reshapes how these providers can respond under pressure. It builds the instinct to act without hesitation, to trust their training and one another. 

“Ultimately, these experiences help bridge the gap between knowledge and action,” explained Rebecca Kelly, RRT, professional development specialist at Baptist Health Louisville. “They ensure that when EMS providers are faced with a rapidly deteriorating patient during transport, they can respond quickly, confidently, and competently, leading to better patient outcomes and safer care.” 

The readiness fostered within the sim lab then extends outward into neighborhoods, across communities, and into the lives of patients. 

“The EMS providers training here don’t just work in interfacility transport,” Rebecca shared. “Many of them also serve city EMS crews and respond to 911 calls every day. That means the skills and experience they gain here in the sim lab don’t stay here. They go out into the field, into homes, onto the streets, and into some of the most pivotal moments in people’s lives.” 

Baptist Health Louisville’s four simulation labs are in use nearly every day, supporting a wide range of training for caregivers. Nurses, respiratory therapists, and even students preparing to begin clinical rotations attend courses to build confidence and refine their skills. From labor and delivery to heart care and emergency response, the lab creates space to learn with hyper-realistic manikins and advanced virtual reality tools, allowing providers to practice complex, high-stakes scenarios before those skills are needed most. 

It’s innovation through philanthropy in its most tangible form. 

“Through this investment, donors are enabling healthcare providers to practice high-stress, high-risk scenarios in a safe and supportive environment,” Amanda said. “Donor support has a direct and lasting impact on the quality of care delivered in the community.” 

Every lesson becomes part of a system of care that is increasingly more prepared and connected. Training doesn’t stop at a single scenario or become static as medicine advances. Through this donor-funded technology, it’s shaped in real-time alongside the needs of Baptist Health Louisville’s patients and providers.  

So when the next call comes, whether it’s a controlled training scenario or a real patient in distress, there’s no hesitation. There’s only confidence, and a team ready to act. 

“It’s incredible to see this for the nurses, for the hospital, and for EMS to get to be a part of it,” Cody said. “Whenever we move out to the field and encounter these situations, we’re going to be much better prepared for them.”